The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will induct 921 non-AC electric buses from Tata Motors soon, as it is witnessing a resurgence in daily ridership after implementation of the Shakti scheme, which offers free bus travel for women.
According to BMTC officials, Tata Motors, a commercial vehicle manufacturer, will lease 921 electric buses under the FAME-2 scheme. In August 2022, Tata Motors had won an order of 921 electric buses from BMTC. Under the tender by Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), Tata Motors will supply, operate, and maintain the 12-metre electric buses for a period of 12 years, as per the contract.
A senior BMTC official said that Tata Motors will likely send its first prototype e-bus next week. “As per the contract, Tata Motors would supply, operate and maintain these low-floor 12-metre electric buses for a period of 12 years. All the 921 electric buses will be inducted to the BMTC’s fleet in a phased manner. Already we have planned allocation of these buses to various depots and the work on the charging stations and other infrastructure to run these buses are going on,” a BMTC official told The Hindu.
Four RTCs to add 3,888 new buses to its fleet
Meanwhile, following public demand to procure more buses to successfully implement the Shakti scheme, State-run road transport corporations that operate the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, the BMTC, the NWKRTC, and the KKRTC plan to procure more new buses this year.
At present, the four RTCs operate 23,989 buses across Karnataka with an average run of 65.02 lakh kilometres per day.
Apart from this, the State government has decided to add more buses in all four RTCs. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy informed the legislative Council in response to a question on shortage of buses that the government has approved adding 3,888 new buses to all RTCs fleet.
According to a reply by Mr. Reddy, KSRTC will induct 620 buses by taking loans from commercial banks and to induct 300 electric buses under Gross Cost Contract (GCC).
Apart from inducting 921 electric buses, Mr. Reddy stated that the BMTC will purchase 840 BS-6 compliant buses through loans. “Under the State Urban Transport Fund (SUTF) sanctioned fund of ₹19.13 crore, the BMTC will induct 20 mini buses and under National Clean Air Programme(NCAP) which has funded ₹15.00 crore will be utilized to induct 100 electric buses under GCC,” he stated.
NWKRTC will buy 286 new buses through loans, while the KKRTC will buy 802 new buses by using funds provided by Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB), bank loans and by KKRTC internal sources.
